I. ANNUAL LEAVE of three (3) weeks, as defined by twenty-one (21) days consisting of a maximum of fifteen (15) “working days” (Monday-Friday) plus six (6) “weekend days” (Saturday-Sunday), with pay may be given per twelve month period, unless specifically limited as required for specialty board certification. Time away from MUSC for job interviews, board exams, meetings and conferences must be taken as annual leave unless other arrangements are approved by the Program Director according to departmental policy. Annual leave is granted at the discretion of the Program Director and must be approved, in writing, by the Program Director (or his/her Designee) in advance. Residents are expected to carry out any duties or assignments as directed by their Program Director on Federal or State holidays, unless permission is granted by the Program Director (or his/her designee) according to departmental policy. Residents are not granted "compensation time" for working on Federal or State holidays unless approved in writing by the Program Director according to departmental policy. Note: Annual leave, like all other benefits to residents, does not carry over from year to year. It does not accrue over time. The Resident Agreement is for one year only, thus, at the end of each year, the terms of the agreement are void, which means all benefits end on the final day of the Agreement.

II. SICK LEAVE of three (3) weeks, as defined by twenty-one (21) days, (including Saturdays and Sundays) with pay may be given per twelve months of employment. A resident who is absent for four (4) or more consecutive days due to illness must present a clearance letter from the principal treating physician or receive written approval from the Program Director before returning to the program . Under certain circumstances, additional sick leave (e.g., Family Medical Leave Act) without pay may be granted with the written approval of the Program Director, who will send a copy of this approval to the Graduate Medical Education Office. The Resident may be required to "make-up" any time missed in accordance with the Residency Program and Board Eligibility requirements.

III. MATERNITY LEAVE will be granted a minimum of six (6) weeks of Maternity Leave (3 weeks Annual Leave; 3 weeks Sick Leave) per twelve month period. All six (6) weeks will be "paid time off" unless Annual Leave and/or Sick Leave was (were) used previously during the twelve month period. In this instance, the six weeks of leave will still be granted but the previously paid time will be deducted so that the total "paid time off" in any academic year does not exceed six (6) weeks. The Resident may request additional "unpaid" time off beyond this initial six (6) weeks. This request must be approved by the Program Director in writing, in advance. If an ACGME RRC and/or the Specialty Board restricts annual time off to less than six (6) weeks in an academic year, the Program Director will defer to the allowable RRC and/or Specialty Board Eligibility requirement(s).

Paternity Leave will be granted to the spouse/partner after the birth or adoption. Each Resident spouse/partner will be granted two (2) weeks of paid Sick Leave. This Sick Leave time is to be counted as part of the three weeks described previously.

Any Resident who is on Maternity/Paternity Leave may be required to "make up" time missed while on leave in accordance with the RRC or Specialty Board Eligibility requirements.

Official Approval for Maternity/Paternity Leave - The Resident must make a written request for Maternity/Paternity leave to the Program Director the beginning of the Second Trimester so that appropriate accomodations (e.g. rotation schedules, call schedules, etc.) can be made. If the Resident is pursuing adoption, the Resident must notify the Program Director, in writing, at the time of adoption request filing. The total duration of Maternity/Paternity leave must be approved, in writing, by the Program Director or his/her Designee using the GME Leave of Absence form. A copy of this approval form must be received by the GME Office one month before the Resident begins the Maternity/Paternity leave in order for the leave to be official.

A Resident who is approved for maternity or paternity leave must comply with the requirements of the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). (See "Salaries and Benefits")

IV. BEREAVEMENT LEAVE of three (3) days with pay shall be given per death of an immediate family member (i.e., parents, siblings, grandparents, children or spouse). The Resident may be required to "make-up" the time missed in accordance with the Residency Program and Board Eligibility requirements.

V. PROFESSIONAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE may be granted under special circumstances and will be handled on an individual case-by-case basis by the Designated Institutional Official for GME in consultation with the Residency Program Director. (See Appendix III for form.) The terms and conditions of the leave of absence will be given to the resident in writing. The Resident may be required to "make-up" the time missed in accordance with the Residency Program and Board Eligibility requirements. Terms of reinstatement after a Leave of Absence will be developed, written and approved by the Program Director and the Designated Institutional Official for GME before the resident will be permitted to return to the residency program.

In the event of military leave, the resident is required to provide his/her Program Director with a copy of the military "orders." The orders should contain the time of deployment and locations. The Program Director must prepare a plan for the resident to "make up" time away from the residency program. The plan, along with a letter approving the LOA, should be submitted to the Designated Institutional Official for GME along with a copy of the military orders. Any resident that is required to fulfill military obligations, MUST still complete all the training program requirements for Board eligibility. This may require a change in the original date for the completion of the program.

VI. INSURANCE COVERAGE

Statement of Policy: Insurance coverage shall be available to the resident through:

A. Health Insurance - The resident will receive health (including hospitalization) and dental at nominal cost. Dependents are covered at the Resident's expense.

B. Life Insurance - If the resident participates in the South Carolina Retirement System, after one year of continuous service, the resident's beneficiary is eligible to receive a sum equal to the resident's annual salary. Additionally, if the resident elects health coverage an additional $3,000 is payable to the resident's beneficiary. Optional life insurance is available at reasonable rates and the Resident can elect coverage up to 3 times the annual salary (rounded).

C. Travel Insurance - All MUSC residents are covered by Workers' Compensation which is designed to provide benefits for individuals who have incurred medical expenses or are unable to work due to bona fide occupational injuries or illnesses.

D. Disability Insurance - Residents will receive basic disability insurance after one year of service only if health insurance is elected. Supplemental long term disability insurance is available at a competitive rate. Basic and supplemental long term disability insurance are portable and can be converted. If participating in the South Carolina Retirement System, after five years of earned service (vesting period) in the event of a disability, Residents are eligible to apply for disability retirement. Should disability retirement be granted, health insurance will also be available.

E. Professional Liability Coverage - The resident will be covered for malpractice liability while performing duties and responsibilities in the program. The policy provides $1,200,000 per medical occurrence and the coverage will extend beyond the time in residency from incidents that occurred during their training (i.e., "tail coverage").

VII. PARKING PERMITS

Statement of Policy: The Office of Parking Management is responsible for registration of vehicles, keeping registration records, making parking assignments and issuing parking control devices.

Procedure: Residents of MUSC who desire to use University-provided assigned parking facilities must register their vehicles. All registrants will be required to show a valid State vehicle registration certification and may be required to show a driver’s license and an MUSC identification card.

VIII. In-House On-Call Meals

Statement of Policy: MUSC provides money for meals from the MUSC cafeteria, Subway, Chick-Fil-A, and A La Carte, and at the Ashley River Tower Cafeteria while the resident is “on-call” within the Hospital.

Procedure:

All residents will receive $50 per month for a meal allowance. Those residents who are scheduled for 24-hour in-house call shifts will receive an additional $15 per shift worked.

In addition to the $15 meal card supplement, residents working 24-hour in-house weekend call will also continue to receive the $15 weekend meal voucher.

Only clinical programs (including residents and fellows) that are accredited, either by the ACGME or the ADA, and have a resident agreement with the GME Office will participate in the meal card program.

The $50 meal allowance and the additional supplement for call shifts will be distributed monthly. Program Coordinators, or designated individuals, are responsible for informing Beth Jones (GME Office) which residents are scheduled for call each month. (Note: A copy of the call schedule is not sufficient.) This list must be submitted three days prior to the end of the preceding month to ensure timely disbursement on to the residents’ meal cards.

Visiting residents will receive $15 per in-house 24-hour call, but will not be eligible for the $50 per month meal allowance. The applicable program coordinator will be required to inform Beth Jones of the arrival of the visiting resident as well as his/her 24-hour call information.

Semi-annually, the GME Office will reevaluate the monthly allowance and revise it, if needed, as a result of an increase/decrease in the number of residents or the number of 24-hour call shifts worked during the previous six months.

For 24-hour in-house weekend call, each resident will receive a voucher with his/her name on it. The voucher can only be used during the scheduled 24-hour in-house weekend call shift. Meal vouchers are only to be used after 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and only with the vendors listed on the voucher. Residents cannot tip with the vouchers nor can change be received. Any resident who misuses a 24-hour in-house weekend call voucher will be subject to disciplinary action by the Designated Institutional Official.